1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a confocal microscope which two-dimensionally scans a light from a point light source with respect to a sample, and which detects a light from the sample.
2. Description of the Background Art
The confocal microscope condenses a light from a point light source on a sample by an objective lens, two-dimensionally scans the condensed light point optically by using a scanner, and obtains two-dimensional information by detecting the light (in particular, fluorescence) from the sample by a photo detector via the objective lens.
In such a confocal microscope, the sample which has been labeled by a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent protein is excited by an excitation wavelength corresponding to the label.
Therefore, when a laser light source is used as a point light source, it is necessary to prepare a laser light source for each excitation wavelength region. Thereafter, laser beams from a plurality of laser light sources are led into a scanning optical system, and are respectively condensed on a sample by an objective lens via a collimator lens for each excitation wavelength region.
In this case, a focal position on the sample is adjusted by each collimator lens. Further, a light deflecting element for synthesizing these laser beams by using a dichroic mirror, etc., and the like are provided at the scanning optical system in order to lead a laser beam, for each excitation wavelength region, which has been emitted from each collimator lens.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-231222, laser beams from a plurality of laser light sources are mixed so as to be incident upon one optical fiber, and an outgoing beam from the optical fiber is condensed on a sample by an objective lens via a collimator lens.
In this case, a single-mode fiber by which light propagation is carried out due to a light being confined in a core by utilizing a slight refractive index difference between a core and a clad is used as an optical fiber.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-127424, there is disclosed a method for optically propagating lights of LEDs having different luminous colors by utilizing a single-mode fiber.